US Military Operation on Caracas Raises Anxieties of Potential Greenland Annexation.
Recent US-led strike in Venezuela and the detention of its president have sparked apprehension regarding America's designs on Greenland. Members of the ex-president's political movement have reportedly set their sights on the vast landmass in the wake of the events in South America.
Provocative Posts and Official Backlash
Only hours after the start of the Venezuelan campaign, a prominent conservative commentator, who is the spouse of a senior White House aide, shared a symbolic map. The picture showed Greenland draped with the American flag, accompanied by single-word caption: "SOON."
This overt threat to claim the mineral-rich land, which is a part of the NATO alliance, provoked swift and strong criticism from Denmark's officials.
"Denmark and the US are close allies and should keep work together as such. US security is equally the Arctic's and our security," declared the Danish ambassador to the United States. "Our nation and the United States work together to ensure security in the North."
The ambassador further pointed out that Denmark had significantly boosted its military budget recently, earmarking a large amount specifically for Arctic and regional security. "Furthermore, we expect complete recognition for the sovereign borders of the our realm," he emphasized.
Political Appointments and Strategic Goals
The situation were further complicated by the recent appointment of a Southern governor as a representative to Greenland. The governor had publicly thanked the commander-in-chief, saying it was an "privilege" to serve in a unpaid capacity to "make Greenland a part of the US."
After the events in Venezuela, this envoy praised the president's decisive move, connecting it to the broader "fight against narcotics."
Ever since assuming office, the American leader has repeatedly unnerved transatlantic partners with his expressed interest in Greenland. The island is viewed as vitally strategic for national security and future mineral exploitation. It currently hosts the northernmost US air base.
Leaving the Door Open to Force
In a significant media interview, the president refused to exclude the resorting to military force to acquire Greenland. This stance comes amid growing great-power competition in the polar region. "I don't rule it out. I don't say I'm going to do it, but I don't rule out anything... We need Greenland very badly," he remarked.
He described Greenland as having a "very small amount of people, which we’ll take care of, and we’ll cherish them... But we need that for international security."
Growing Friction and Local Resistance
In response to this constant "drumbeat" of intent, Denmark's security agency took the unprecedented step last month of labelling the United States as a "security risk."
The prime ministers of both Greenland delivered a joint and forceful rebuke: "We have said it very clearly before. Now we say it again... You cannot annex other countries."
Public opinion in Greenland shows a complex sentiment. While a vast majority of the territory's residents seek independence from Copenhagen, there is simultaneously little to no appetite to become part of the United States. The island has had the option to seek sovereignty for over a decade.
Analyst Assessment: A Credible Scenario?
Some experts are increasingly re-evaluating the likelihood of such a action. One policy director focusing in military analysis admitted she had previously dismissed the rhetoric but was "now not so sure."
"Logistically, it would be feasible for the US to station a couple hundred or a couple thousand soldiers inside of Greenland, and it's unclear to me who could do anything about it," she observed.
